THE BIOTECH & PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY ESSENTIAL CAREERS INFORMATION CALUM LECKIE KATIE BISARO CAREERS CONSULTANTS
What we will cover Sector overview Types of role Graduate recruitment trends and issues Experience, Skills & qualification requirements Sourcing opportunities: common methods
The Landscape of the UK Life Science Industry Pharmaceutical Sector Contract Research Organisations (CROs) clinical trials Generic pharmaceuticals Distribution companies Industrial Biotechnology The development, manufacture and selling of products and services that use or contain biological material as catalysts or feedstock to make industrial products Medical Biotechnology Discovering or developing new therapeutics that action in or on the body by pharmacological, immunological or metabolic means; Medical Technology Many jobs in specialist companies e.g. Technical Consultancies, Technical Suppliers
Industry Quiz Which sector showed the greatest jobs growth rate in 2011 12: 1. Pharmaceuticals, 2.Industrial Biotechnology, 3. Medical Biotechnology, 4. Medical Technology ANS: 2. Industrial Biotech + 15% ( Pharma -9.7%; Med. Biotech + 0.3 %; Med Tech + 4%) In medical biotechnology the majority of companies have over 250 staff. True or False? False: 98 % of UK firms employ less than 250 people, 53 % have less than 5 employees! Name five of the UK s Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies: Pfizer; Johnson & Johnson; Novartis; Bayer; Roche; Merck; Sanofi; GSK; Abbott; Astrazeneca For More: Read: HM Government (2012) Strength & Opportunity: The landscape of the medical technology, medical biotechnology, industrial biotechnology & pharmaceutical sectors in the UK
The Pharmaceutical Industry: Issues & Trends 24, mostly global, companies, account for 80% of UK Pharma employment The 9.7 % fall in employment in 2011-12 was concentrated in top 20 group Global pharma. is currently experiencing slowed growth due to: Pricing pressures Lower revenues from blockbuster drugs coming off patent Changing demographics e.g. aging populations Constraints in public healthcare costs Growth still occurring in emerging markets, e.g. India, Brazil, China, especially in consumer healthcare products
Areas of Growth in R & D Therapeutic Areas: Cancer Infectious Disease Respiratory disease Cardiovascular Metabolic Disease Opthalmology Technologies: Therapeutic Proteins / Small molecules Radiotherapy Medical Imaging Anaesthesia Biofuels
Research Focussed Roles: Discovery Research management track or scientific track. Target identification / validation, assay development, optimization Preclinical Research disease models, pharmacokinetics, toxicology Clinical Development: Operations translational medicine, clinical pharmacology, clinical trials Biometrics data management, Biostatistics Clinical Support Medical Writers Drug Safety
Operations focussed Roles Medical Affairs Regulatory Affairs Quality Operations Product Development Communications & Strategy Life Science Information management Business & Corporate Development Marketing Sales Technical Applications & Support Corporate Communications
Find out More http://careers.abpi.org.uk Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development Toby Freedman science and pharmaceuticals sector: www.prospects.ac.uk/ science_pharmaceuticals_sector.htm Analytical chemist Animal technologist Clinical research associate Food technologist Pharmacologist Product/process development scientist Research scientist (maths) Scientific laboratory technician Toxicologist
Cogent-SCC Skills Life Science Industry Report (2012) Demand for combined business & academic skills Skills needs are very diverse & changeable Are skills gaps: Genomics Clinical pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics Biopharmaceuticals Statistics Computational Chemistry
Experience & Qualifications for Research Focussed Roles Interview with Director of a Med. Tech. Company [An Industrial placement / internship] Is beneficial for both the company (we can try the candidate before offering a position) & for the graduate UCL PhD Alumni Survey: 3 alumni in research roles in life science. Two stated that PhD was needed to get in (one said also to progress) One stated lack of relevant work experience as a problem getting job. Selected ABPI Case Studies: 8 bioscience roles examined (Geneticist, several Biologists, Epidemiologist, Toxicologist, Pharmacologist) Two had masters levels qualifications Three had a PhD Two had PhD & post doc experience All stated that relevant practical experience in industry was extremely useful and many had done so.
R&D; Roles & Experience required Laboratory & Research technicians sig. exp. Post Doc. PhD & Post Doc. Exp. Scientist Team leader PhD (or masters?) Group Leader Clinical Trial Manager Clinical Project Manager MD + Post. Doc. Exp Biostatistician PhD (or Masters) All: Significant experience in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical company
Collaborative Doctoral Studentships (from www.rcuk.ac.uk) PhD studentship projects based in UK universities Carried out in collaboration with nonacademic organisations Contribute resource and/or intellectual support and mentoring for the project and/or student
CREATIVE JOB HUNTING
Reactive Methods: Job Sites & Agencies www.emedcareers.com/ www.flamepharma.com/ http://jobs.newscientist.com/en-gb/ www.wileyjobnetwork.com/content/pharmaceutical/ www.pharmiweb.com/default.asp www.cogent-placements.com/students/ Recruitment Agencies: Background research target companies have preferred agencies? Don t pay fees up front Give them clear direction on what you want Check advertised positions Interested in candidates with specific skills / experience List of Science recruitment Agencies at: www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitephar.htm
SME S Most life science companies are SMEs Eg. Medical Biotech, 98% have less than 250 staff, 53% have less than 5 employees Genesis Conference December 2013: 8 companies surveyed: cultivating networks cited as key in terms of finding job opportunities; LinkedIn as specific tool to do this, industry events We would strongly welcome direct approaches from potential recruits quote from medtech start-up on speculative applications
Sector Specific Job Hunting
Proactive methods Cultivate your networks! Use social media Attend events Set up information interviews Put together speculative applications
Social media and job hunting / recruiting Jobvite s Social Recruitment Survey 2012 1
www.linkedin.com A professional social network (now 200 million members in more than 200 countries and territories) A way to research companies - the Follow Company option on the company s page to have weekly updates emailed directly to you. A way to find jobs - Some listings include the name of the person who posted the opening 2
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LinkedIN top tips Profile picture is a must - keep it professional! Not just a cut-and-paste of CV: Be more conversational, show your interests Write a short profile that links to the companies/groups/roles you re going for List as many relevant skills as possible employers search by these terms Don t list personal data Use your own connections to get introduced to new connections Post on forums!
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Finding Companies: Other Methods http://careers.abpi.org.uk/getting-into-theindustry/pharmaceutical-recruiters www.ukspa.org.uk/ - UK Science Park Association - Database searchable by region www.ccra.org.uk/memberprofiles_new/default.asp - Clinical Contract research Organisation www.onenucleus.com/directory - Networking Organisation for the Life Science Industry www.abhi.org.uk/productsearch/default.aspx - Healthcare Industry body. Search companies by products & services
Information Interviews Prepare specific questions & do your homework Be clear what you want can they do what you ask? Don t ask for a job do ask for additional contacts Don t expect instant results Speculative Applications Try to send to a named person in relevant department Be concise and specific Don t expect instant results
SUMMARY LEARNING POINTS Relevant Experience is key R & D postgrad. quals can be advantageous Many roles beyond R & D SMEs constitute most of the job market in life science Reactive vs. proactive job searching Proactive cultivate networks, especially through social media Information interviews- prep for them Use the resources!
Support Weekly appointments in the Division Booked via MOODLE www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/students/advice Applications checks Short Guidance Mock Interviews Resources